Low Water Level

[Terry Day]

Has anyhone ever seen the MO as low as it is right now? I've been in Platte County since the winter of 78 and don't ever remember seeing it this low. I think that I heard this morning on the news that it is at its lowest recorded level - ever! Hope this not a glimmer of things to come!

[duckalot]

5.85 in waverly. Beleave it or not I have duck hunted it @ 4.something.
I agree it is low. It should'nt be hard to find some holes holding fish.

[Mr.T]

According to the information on the Pleasant Hill weather service web site, the river is currently at a new record low at Kansas city -- 3.17 ft this morning; previous record was 3.7 ft.

But it's not going to last more than a day or two then we'll be back to more reasonable (low) levels.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=eax&gage=kcdm7&view=1,1,1,1,1,1

[lbaker3]

A couple of quotes from an article in the KC Star today concerning the low river levels and the areas water utilities -

'The Missouri River on Thrusday dipped to a record low stage level at Kansas City'

'Low winter flows became even lower when an ice dam formed last weekend upstream of Sioux City, Iowa. Also, tributaries froze when temperatures plummeted, cutting inflow to the river.'

'The ice dam has since broken, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is releasing additional water from a dam in South Dakota. But that water won't start arriving until today.'

[duckalot]

I did hear they had a big Ice jam up north. Is there Ice in the River @ KC. ?

[Terry Day]

Yes, there are small ice chuncks in the river here around KC.

[kansas bluecatter]

I've fished the Missouri River for nearly 25 years and have never seen it this low. Hopefully we will get some big Spring rains to help move some of our fish back out of the Mississippi. It needs to run bank full for several days if not a week. It would help our fishing tremendously. John

[dougc]

John, you're post brings another question to mind. In your opinion (what you've seen in your experiences and what you've heard from others), how far will the blue cats in a large river system (like the Missouri) migrate when we experience water this low in the river. Are these cats turning tail and heading for St. Louie?

We can find plenty of deep water holes, but they seem to be devoid of big fish right now. There seems to be plenty of bait still around though.

Glad to see you getting more involved here!